Fast mornings, chopped shifts, train delays again. Some days it’s just a win to not look dragged through Cathedral Green wind. That’s where PMU steps in, it’s not a splurge, it’s survival. In Exeter, permanent eyeliner or a low-key lip blush means no blotchy patch fix in café bathrooms or hauling makeup kits across gigs. It keeps the outside looking sorted, even when everything else is spiralling a bit.
First up, it’s not as wild or time-sucking as it sounds. Lip blush sessions take about 2 to 3 hours, but they’re chill: most start with a short map-out to match natural shape, slap on numbing cream (doesn’t sting), and colour match with your base tone. Artists here rate translucent layers, so it’s buildable rather than bold. Think *clean tint* not *plastic pout*.
Post-session? Expect a bit of swelling (feels like tight marshmallow lips), and a week or so of dryness and flaking. If timing’s tight, plan it before slower shifts or skip Saturday social whirl. It gets easier each day and by wake-up five, that colour sets in like your face finally matches the energy again.
Choosing between microblading and machine technique depends on what your skin deals with daily. If oil levels are high (shoutout to long hours in busy kitchens or constant rail commutes), machine techniques usually hold better. They’re consistent, less invasive over time, and ideal for soft shading or fuller fills.
Manual microblading can be artfully done, but does best on calm, normal-texture skin. If touch-ups every few months aren’t part of your plan, lean machine, it adapts better in local humidity and wears evenly between sweat and sun on Cathedral afternoons.
Skip your morning latte and lay off aspirin the day before. Caffeine, alcohol and blood thinners mess with how pigment catches. If skin’s irritated from a quick brow wax or that harsh scrub you used, reschedule. Artists in Exeter usually say 48 hours clean skin minimum. Just show up with water, chill music and no tight plans after, it’s easy to forget it’s still *a treatment.*
If you're timing an appointment between a train to Dawlish and a week of admin shifts, you’ll want to avoid too much movement right after. Healing lips or freshly done liner hates heat and grime. The safest window in Exeter? Cooler weeks, when weekday paddleboarders dry off by the Countess Weir and there’s no Gandy Street surge stealing your sunlight.
Also, if you’re heading out of the city for gigs or work, lock in at least 10–14 days before that goes down. Follow-ups are essential, so don’t risk needing one when you’re stacking freelance hours two postcodes away.
Anyone with stable skin and a realistic idea (this isn’t Insta-filter central) can usually do PMU. But if you’re nursing, on Accutane, or scar easily, pause. Ethical artists in Exeter always do a pre-check, sometimes with patch tests. Timing’s key: don’t force it during max stress weeks or when sleep’s out the window.
And if cost’s tight, there are steady ways to hack it. Some brow and lash deals in Exeter include bundles or fade-inclusive touches under £100. Flex slots, off-peak rates: locals rate them high for value without rushing the service.
Book an 11am slot in the middle of the week if you can, less student chaos, easier parking, and artists aren’t rushed between ten-minute tinting walk-ins. And Mondays after curry club? Definitely not the best time to heal lips.
Many Exeter PMU studios offer after-hours or weekend sessions ideal for non-traditional schedules. Artists often open flexible appointments during slower periods and late hours can be released for last-minute grabs when shifts clash with standard hours. Look for places that list their availability on platforms like Fresha or drop last-minute discounted appointments via Instagram.
